As Daring Do trekked through the tropical jungle, the wet heat sapped her energy and slowed her every step. If only she could escape this oppressive atmosphere and fly up into the cool blue sky. But her crash landing in the jungle had injured her wing and she was grounded for a few days. A few days---it might as well be a few months, or a few years!
The mosquitoes buzzed loudly, the macaws cried from the high trees; yet, all of these distracting noises were not enough to cover the sound of the predators following her every step. Some instinct make Daring turn. A ferocious pony-eating tiger roared as it lunged at the tan heroine. Daring Do ducked and dived over a log, mere inches ahead of the savage beast, only to have her retreat barred by a massive black panther. Spinning to her right, she saw a brown lynx charge screeching toward her from another direction. A spotted cheetah yowled menacingly while emerging from a mass of ferns, blocking yet another possible escape route. ‘Only one path left,’ she realized. ‘I wonder what hideous horror will block it.’
Trapped between a semi-circle of beasts, our heroine turned to the last path open to her. As if her internal monologue had tempted fate, the leaves near the last path shivered and parted to display this next foe: a fearsome fluffy white kitten. Relief surged through her. Finally a break! She charged forward, leapfrogging over the cat and running as fast as her legs could take her, ferocious feline foes following in close pursuit! Running full tilt through the dense undergrowth of the jungle, she almost stepped off a cliff that suddenly appeared before her. Skidding to a stop just in time, Daring Do looked back at her pounding predatory pursuers and knew she had no choice.
With leap fueled by desperation, she launched herself from the edge of the cliff and grasped a vine, looping it around her as she swung over the gargantuan ghastly gorge. Her golden compass cutie mark glinted in the sun as she spun to salute her feline foes. Safely landing on the other side, Daring finally allowed herself a moment to breathe. She turned around to find herself face to face with the long lost temple that she had sought tirelessly for over sixty days and nights!
Daring pressed forward and climbed the stairway of the temple. The oily flickering torches cast eery moving shadows on the walls. A smell of decay and danger hit Daring Do as she peered into the dimly lit entrance of the ancient temple. As she walked down the entryway she felt a cobble shift slightly underhoof and heard a jarring smack of stone striking stone. Throwing herself to the floor, she avoided being sliced by three wicked-looking throwing axes. A slight ticking sound warned her a split second before a fiery maw opened beneath her. Daring managed to grab the edges and flip forward, barely avoiding the flames that came shooting out. From above, a series of vicious alligators swung down snapping at her mane, trying to get a bite to eat. ‘Seriously, who puts alligators in the ceiling? That's insane!’ our tired traveller griped internally.
Pulling herself along just barely out of their reach, Daring slid on her stomach past the gators, but before she could catch her breath she had to leap over an axe arching toward her in a pendulum of death. Running forward she just managed to dodge a series of deadly darts that came flying out of the wall. She almost met her untimely demise when a spike from a hole in the floor shot out, trying to impale her onto the ceiling.
Looking ahead, our intrepid explorer saw the stone door sliding down, threatening to bar the path forward. With a desperate burst of speed, Daring Do dashed forward, sliding toward the door, but her momentum gave out halfway through the doorway. With a grunt, Daring pulled herself through and just avoided being crushed by the heavy stone slab. Safe! Or was she? Growling an oath under her breath she looked around as the hallway she found herself in quivered and crumbled, the end already partially blocked by yet another sliding stone slab. Another corridor? Wasn’t there a rule about only having one of these per trap-infested obstacle course?
***
Daring rushed past the stone slab intent on crushing her, finally past the second hallway. She quickly brushed off the darts her hat had acquired in the last hallway and took her bearings. Daring Do stood at the entrance to the central temple chamber. At last, she was face to face with the legendary sapphire statue! The light from the skylight ceiling shone on the startling sapphire stone as Daring Do pondered what her next step would be. “Riiiight, ‘just’ across the room,” Daring thought, eyeing the walls intently. “And those arrow-sized holes in the wall are just for ventilation and the huge Doom Masks are just for show.”
Looking at the floor before her she saw a series of varying images inscribed on each tile leading up to a series of stairs connected to the pedestal. She kicked a stone onto the tiles and watched as arrows came flying out from the holes in the walls. Each tile had a different picture of some kind of animal: dingos, jackals, wolves, rats... "Huh, there must be a pattern here. What do all these animals have in common?" the tan pegasus said pensively. Trying to figure out the pattern proved to be a different kind of challenge from the rest of the temple. "AHA! These animals are all predators, except...RATS!" Lowering one hoof on a tile with a rat etched on it, she gingerly closed her eyes. Opening one eye, she let out a relieved sigh, knee still intact and theory proved. Hopping from tile to tile, she slowly made her way toward her goal. Reaching the final tile, Daring Do back-flipped onto the stairs with a triumphant grin. Taking off her hat to let out some of the heat that had been collecting under it, she looked up at the beautiful carving in awe. Donning her hat again so as not to drop it, she carefully studied the pedestal, looking at it first from one angle, then the other.
Finally coming to a decision, Daring gripped the priceless statuette with her mouth and snatched it off. “No point avoiding the inevitable,” she said to herself. Daring stored the statuette under her hat and started to set off when she heard a grinding series of clicks coming from behind her. Eyes widening, she whirled around to see a slender pillar of stone sliding up from the spot where the statuette had sat. Before she could reach it, the cylinder fell back into the pedestal. Turning back to make a speedy trip across the floor, she watched as it crumbled before her into a pool of lava. The walls started to quiver and quake, sending plaster and masks falling below into a heap that was quickly being consumed.
The heaving, fast-rising pool of lava forced her back up the steps and higher onto the pedestal. The hot air seared her hooves as she reached the top, finally out of places to climb. As the stone started to melt beneath her hooves, she jumped from the pedestal to one of the toppled giant stone masks. As she ran up along it to the hole that was letting in the blessed sunlight and reached the edge of the mask, a chunk of rock suddenly gave way, almost sending her hurtling into the lava. Only her expert balance saved her from a quick and fiery death. Steadying herself, she leaped from the top of the mask, moments before it too was consumed entirely by lava. Barely able to grip onto the side of the lip of the sunlight, Daring Do flailed helplessly for a hoofhold. A ball of superheated air exploded beneath where she was hanging, sending her, rock, and ash flying through the air. The blast thankfully threw her clear of the ash and other debris, dropping her painfully onto a dirt path, the statuette then coming loose and bouncing a few feet away.
Suddenly, a familiar massive green paw slammed down right next to the statuette. There stood the most hideous creature Daring Do had ever encountered, her arch nemesis, Ahuizotl. Looking like a cross between a monkey with a dog’s rear legs with a hand at the tip of his tail, a jackal with eyes at the tip of his snout, and a shark, this beast was at least twice the size of a regular pony, maybe even larger than Celestia herself.
"You thought you could evade me and capture the relic for yourself, but you were sadly mistaken, Miss Do!" boasted the beast.
"And now, you shall meet your DOOM!" he said theatrically. With a flourish, he pulled out a whistle shaped suspiciously like a cat. Blowing a few notes he summoned the feline foes Daring Do had so recently evaded. Laughing maniacally, the beast savoured his absolute victory.
After being dragged into a non-destroyed part of the horrid temple, Daring Do was tied to a sacrificial altar. "You won't get away with this Ahuizotl!" she cried in defiance.
"But I already have!" he sneered. Heading for the entrance, he pulled a very conspicuous lever. Suddenly the walls began to shrink. Ahuizotl quickly herded his minions out the door, secure in the inevitable fate of his nemesis.
And with good reason. As the walls closed in, spikes came jutting out and spiders scurried out onto the spikes. "Quicksand!" she said as it poured quickly from the space left around the spikes. An ornate golden medallion near the top of the room slid out, letting through an army of snakes.
“So, to recap, sliding walls with spikes, spiders, snakes and speedy soaked sand.”
Things were definitely looking grim.
“It feels like the harder I struggle, the tighter the ropes get!" Daring Do said as she tried to worm her way free. Suddenly, inspiration struck. Flipping off helmet and gripping it with her teeth, she sent it flying toward the lever with a snap of her neck. Gasping a final lungful of air as she was about to go under, she thought she saw the helmet strike the lever, but was it hard enough?
Slowly, the sand, spiders, snakes, and spikes all receded. "Phew, that was a close one," she said, knocking sand from her ears after finally pulling free. The stone slab that had sealed her in the room began to rise and she wasted no time in getting out.
"Another day, another dungeon," she quipped as she waltzed out.
***
Sitting on his throne of stone, the mighty Ahuizotl stroked his white cat as he gloated over his latest acquisition and victory. "Mwahahah! With Daring Do out of the way the world will suffer mightily at my hands! I AM VICTORIOUS! MWAHAHAHAH!" The great and mighty Ahuizotl was suddenly shocked to find his tail-hand empty of the treasure he had so recently acquired.
"I'll take that!" declared Daring Do, as she swung by on a vine. Nodding her head to her foe, she finished her swing to the top of a nearby cliff.
"What? Noooooooooooooooo!" cried her former captor, bereft of his victory and his prize.
"Better luck next time Ahuizotl," she said from atop the cliff, resettling her hat.
Back in her apartment in Canterlot, Daring looked out from her bedroom balcony. The city was always lit, even during the twilight hours. Most people who lived here seemed used to it, but she always felt a bit uneasy looking out at night and seeing the streets so bright. Perhaps it was because she usually slept out of doors and far away from city streets, making any light or sounds not germane to the forest seem disturbing.
This night was like any other she spent while in the city, most of the time she was either trying to sleep or trying to wake up for her job in the morning. Adventuring may be good for your collection of stories but it rarely was good for your collection of bits. Teaching was how she paid the bills and remained a respectable member of society.
Tomorrow, or rather today she would be teaching the fundamentals of pony history to a bunch of bored rich nobles who secretly despised her for being in such an esteemed position. Still, at least she had an interesting exhibit.
Morning would come soon enough, so she might as well start preparations. Rolling out of bed she cantered over to the kitchen and started mixing up some trail mix for lunch when she heard the sound of scratching at the front door. Cocking her ear toward the telltale sound her lips started to lift in a grin.
Stealthily creeping forward she unlocked the door and shoved it open with a resounding smack and the sound of choking as the pony who had been trying to pick the lock almost swallowed his lock pick.
Looking out she smiled sweetly and said “Why hello there Bravado. Fancy actually meeting you here.“
“Hey, you think you could possibly not do that next time? I survived countless death traps and even managed to survive an attack by the Platypus of Despair. I don’t want to have my epitaph say ‘Death By Lock Pick.’”
“Hey, you were breaking in. It’s the middle of the night and I’m living alone and a strange pony is trying to break in. What’s a mare supposed to think?” Daring Do said. “One could easily get the wrong impression.”
“Whoa, hey now. I just didn’t know you were in. I needed a place to crash, figured you wouldn’t mind since you weren’t in town.”
“Just got in last night. Sorry, hotel is closed. I can offer you a muffin to go if you like,” Daring Do said.
“No, thanks. Say, did you find anything interesting when you passed through the Impenetrable Lands?” Bravado asked casually.
“Well I...hey, is this the real reason you were trying to break in? To get your hooves on my discovery?” the tan mare said, glaring.
“I? I would never do such a dastardly thing! Have you no trust? I give you my word as a Montoyan, I had no such intentions!” he protested hotly.
“Mhm. Pull one of the others, they have bells on,” Daring Do said, barely holding back a grin. “You’ve never been able to pass up a chance at a treasure. I’ve always had to count the grains of sand on my hooves, the hairs on my mane and more than anything the change in my wallet.”
“Madam, you wound me. You impugn my honour! I would never steal so much as---”
“Save it for the locals. I’m going to bed. Go find a hotel and stay out of my apartment if you don’t want to have your epitaph read: ‘Long overdue, he went out as glue,’” she said, yanking her door shut. Just to be sure, she also barred it. It wouldn’t stop anypony, but it would make a lot of noise if somepony tried to get in.
***
Later that morning after Daring Do finished unpacking she set off for the Canterlot University. With the sapphire statuette, the University would be able to raise funds quite quickly for another expedition. Shards of pottery and glass may be fascinating to the erudite professors, but to the mildly interested onlooker they looked like meaningless junk.
To find a perfectly preserved relic like this was an archaeologist's dream.
Flying to the University was a joy in and of itself. Daring Do had just recently regained full use of her injured wing and it still was a bit stiff. ‘Who cares,’ she thought. ‘As long as I’m flying, nothing else matters.’ A few twinges wouldn’t ground her. Arriving with time to spare she carefully unloaded her precious cargo at the storage facility and signed the six forms needed to admit new archaeological trappings.
Going to her office she felt her jaw sag open at the mound of paperwork that had accumulated during her absence. With a sigh she sidled over to her desk and started going through the papers, discarding the majority. “Oh, look, a 0.4% salary increase for all non-tenured professors. How exciting,” she said grumpily, still filing it away for future reference.
Nearing the end of the pile she froze in shock. Rereading the wording to make sure she was not mistaken she did a double take. Professor Codex was retiring? When did he plan on telling her? He wasn’t just another colleague to her, they had worked together for years, decades even. He had been her father’s best friend, and had acted almost as a second father to her since she joined the faculty.
Leaving the rest of the papers where they were she grabbed the page and stormed out of the room, trying to keep the page out of her face.
Reaching Professor Codex’s office she paused a minute to calm herself before slamming open the door and stomping in. “Codex! What in blue blazes got into you?” she said angrily, spitting out the memo.
“Ah, Miss Do. How nice to see you back, safe and sound. Have some apple tea,” the unflappable professor said.
“Now, don’t you ‘Miss Do’ me. I’ve known you for a long time. I go away for a couple of weeks and suddenly you’re talking about callin’ it quits? That doesn’t set right with me.”
“I see you read last week’s missive from the paperwork factory. It’s simply fascinating how much the manage to churn out in a week. I also see you didn’t read the latest publication. It would have explained a great deal. I’ve decided to retire now before ponies start calling me ‘that kind old fool’ behind my back. I’m going to retire when I can pick my replacement. In short, you,” he said, face neutral.
“I...what?” Daring Do stammered, train of thought derailed.
“If I retire now, I get to choose who will replace me. I’ll have the time to turn over the reins, so to speak.”
“I can’t take over the department! I’ll always have to be here. I’m a field archaeologist, I don’t want to be stuck in a classroom all the time!” Daring Do said, still in a state of shock.
“That’s why you get assistants. They handle most of your workload. You are the lecturer. You also will have more freedom to set up expeditions and manipulate your schedule.”
Shocked, Daring Do dropped to her haunches. She was practically being offered the keys to the city. “I’m going to need some time to think this over,” she said, as she massaged her aching head.
“Very well. I’ll expect an answer by the end of the week. That’s when my ship sails to the beautiful Visula Isles,” he said with a smile.
***
Going for a fly through the Canterlot University gardens helped to clear her head. Looking down she saw the proud trees surrounding the pond. As she dipped and soared she felt the stress float away. Making a banked turn and angling for a steep dive she narrowed her eyes as the wind whipped past her. Pulling up at the last second she skimmed across the pond, hooves barely touching the surface.
As she spiralled up over the university she thought she saw somepony moving around from one of the storage room windows. Swooping down she peered in. Nothing. Suspiciously she went around to the nearest entrance and called the security agent, Rigid Stone, over. A powerful earth pony with a dour demeanor that matched his dark grey coat came over. “What can I help you with Professor?” he asked politely.
“Is there anypony scheduled to be in there?” Daring asked urgently.
“Nopony, Professor.” Selecting a key from a band around his neck, the security pony carefully pushed the door inward, sweeping the room with his gaze.
All manner of items were in this room, most of them securely packaged. Some larger items were just covered with a sheet to keep the dust and sun off. A statue of a griffin king from antiquity stood with its cover pooled around its stony ankles.
Nothing stirred in the room. Breaking the silence, Rigid Stone commented “You probably saw the sheet falling off the statue. From outside it would look like somepony was in here.”
Unconvinced but not wanting to get into argument about it Daring Do just nodded and moved out of the room.
***
Reaching her classroom with time to spare, Daring-do started setting up the display of the sapphire statuette she had just brought back for her next class. As the time for the session to start, ponies and the odd griffin or two trickled in. Today’s class went smoothly as she was able to hold the class’s attention with the narrative of the adventure in recovering the treasure. Finally dismissing the class, Daring Do started to pack up her display. One straggler, a griffin named Scoundrel, paused and winked before sauntering out the door. Rolling her eyes she finished packing her saddlebags and headed for the door.
On her way to the exit she stopped by Professor Codex’s office, only to find it locked and empty. “Huh, I guess he’s already on vacation mode,” she said, looking through the window at the darkened office.
***
Next morning, as she flew into the sun she thought she saw a pair of dark spots up in front of her. Squinting she made out what looked like two pegasi of the Royal Guard. ‘Was Celestia paying the university an unannounced visit?’ Daring Do wondered idly. Of course, that was highly unlikely. Even spontaneous visits gave some advanced warning.
Her idle curiosity turned to worry as she saw them bearing down onto her at breakneck speeds. Trying to angle out of their way to let them past she noticed they seem to change their angle of flight to match hers.
Slowing down to a hover she waited for them to reach her.
“Halt! You cannot pass, this is a restricted area,” said the one on the right. His near-identical partner remained stoic and continued to scan the area.
“Since when? I work here!” Daring Do asked, frowning.
“Name?” queried the talkative one.
“Daring Do, Professor in Equine History and Archaeology,” she said, using her full title.
Faces passive, both Guards looked at each other. The silent one motioned for her to follow him while the other one remained at his station.
Flying to the University they landed at the front gates, which were guarded by four more pegasi. Nodding to them, her ‘guide’ lead her forward into the school toward the main auditorium. Along the way they passed empty hallways and classrooms. Something was up, there should be a plethora of ponies passing through these halls by this time.
Knocking on the door, the silent Guard waited for the permission to enter before pushing it in. Daring Do felt her breath catch as she saw who was standing in the room. ‘By the Stars and the Moon, Celestia herself!’ Daring Do almost exclaimed, only just managing to hold back the words.
Bowing low, Daring Do tried to dredge up her lessons she had been drilled in proper protocol by her older sister as a child. “How may I be of service to your Highness?” Daring Do managed, hoping that was the correct protocol.
“My dear Daring Do, such formality is needless on this occasion. Please, rise. As it stands, we do require your assistance in this matter. I understand you are the pony that discovered the sapphire jackal statuette. What can you tell us about its history?” Celestia asked.
“Not much, I just had started researching the piece’s background. What I did learn was very limited. The temple where I found it in was thought to be a former site of...” here Daring Do hesitated and lowered her voice, “...Moon worship.”
While the Guards were normally undisposed to needless noise, the silence that spread across the room was so palpable that it could have been sliced up and sold as sound insulation to fill every wall in Canterlot.
“Commander Root,” Standing stiffly, Celestia looked at the Guard who had brought Daring Do in. “Please clear the room and guard the door personally. I wish for us to not be disturbed.”
With a salute, the Commander quickly ushered everypony else out of the room and closed the door behind him.
When the door clicked shut Celestia’s horn glowed, casting a silence spell around the room. Turning to the nervous tan pony before her she smiled kindly and said “I’m sorry for having to resort to these measures, but they are necessary. Why I had you brought here was that there was a break-in today at dawn. Two items, seemingly unrelated, were found to be missing and the pony who we usually would go to for information is missing. One of the pieces missing is of course the statuette you recovered recently, the other...what do you know of the Mare in the Moon?”
“Well, the Mare of the Moon is a figure prominent in a number of myths, legends, and pony’s tales. The general opinion of the historians, loremasters and storytellers is that the Mare of the Moon or Nightmare Moon is some form of evil entity that you imprisoned on the Moon. Some say it is a roaming creature who came to attack us that you vanquished. Others claim it is your sister who went rogue. Still others insist it is your dark side that you expunged and cast out, sealing it on the Moon.”
Through the whole dissertation, the Princess remained impassive. “You are mainly correct. Much of what you have heard, though distorted through time and fable was at one point based in fact. I try to keep interest in the Mare on the Moon to a minimum to prevent ponies from having an unhealthy interest in her. Still, there is a link between what was stolen, and you should know of it. The other item that was taken was reportedly the breastplate of Nightmare Moon herself. Now that we know that there is a link between sapphire statuette you found and the Moon, this whole theft takes on an even darker spectre. Do you know anypony who have stolen the statuette?”
“Ahuizotl springs to mind, but even at night he would draw much attention getting here. He would have sent somepony.” Thinking back to the many run-ins with the blue fiend, she could definitely see him wanting what was taken, but not really actually doing it himself. Ever since he tried to disguise himself as a donkey to avoid detection and had ended up being hitched to a mule train he let others do the sneaky work. “Have you checked with Professor Codex to see if he knew of anypony who would be interested in these items? He was at the University for much more of the year than I.”
Celestia’s calm face creased in a frown. “Normally we would, however he appears to be missing.”
“Missing?!” Daring’s eyes flared in shock. News of his retirement had come as a blow, but his disappearance was almost enough to panic her. “What happened? Was he foalnapped?”
“No, we didn’t find any evidence of a struggle, his apartment was just cleared out. We assumed that he had just left for his retirement a bit early.”
“But he wouldn’t leave without speaking to---” she paused. Or would he? He always liked to play a long game, this could all be all some ploy to manipulate her into taking the position offered to her. If only she could be sure.
“Have you looked to see where he might be?” Daring Do asked anxiously.
“I’ve dispatched fliers to the local train station and nearest shipyards to see if he might have passed through there. Knowing him, if he wants to disappear, he will. Come, let me show you where the break-in occurred.” Celestia, with a small burst of magic, shattered the silence spell and commanded the door to open. Commander Root stood, back to the door. With a slight start he turned and bowed to the Princess as they left the room. Flanking them, another pair of pegasi Guards followed them to the storage room.
With a start Daring Do noticed this was the very room she thought she had seen somepony poking around. The window pane was smashed, though there was very little glass in the room. Looking around she noticed there was an extra sheet lying on the ground. Something clicked in her brain.
“Princess, the other day I thought I saw somepony in here, but when we checked the room it appeared empty.” Going over to the sheet lying on the ground she poked it and continued. “I’ll bet that the intruder hid under a spare sheet and pretended to be one of the collection! That would explain why the glass was broken from the inside.”
“That sounds plausible, but we still need to consider how the thief managed to get into the building unseen and enter the locked room. The door is protected by a magically reinforced lock. If somepony tried to tamper with it an alarm would have been set off, or at the very least, there would be evident signs of magical activity; yet there is none. This at least suggests the possibility of somepony with access to this room having let the intruder in,” Celestia said. “We can’t have somepony on staff who is party to theft. Daring Do, I know you probably have reservations about taking the position as head of the Equine History Department, but I need somepony to find out who is helping the thieves. I’d consider it a great favour if you accept.”
Daring’s sense of duty warred with her sense of I-don’t-want-to-doum. Inevitably, duty won out. With a sigh she nodded and said “Very well Princess. I’ll accept the position if it is offered.”
Looking slightly smug, Celestia responded, “Oh, you already are the department head, I signed the approval last week. All that is required of you is to sign the new contract. Codex arranged it all in advance.”
Turning away, the new Department Head narrowed her eyes. That Codex was always one step ahead of her.
***
The day’s classes had been cancelled, so after they examined the room Daring Do headed for her lodgings. Arriving at her building she checked her mail and waved to her landlady before trotting up to her apartment door. She paused at the door she thought she heard something inside. Sliding the key into the lock, she quietly unlocked the door and eased it open. Looking around the room she noted some of her furniture had been moved about. Her eyes narrowed as she heard somepony shuffling about emanating from her bedroom.
Creeping over to her bedroom door she cautiously looked around for anypony else before she peered in. She saw somepony backlit by the light from the window moving around her room. After taking a deep breath she charged in with a bloodcurdling yell and slammed both her forehooves down on his lower spine. Spinning around she delivered a kick to the neck, causing the buck to collapse to the ground. As the stallion flopped around on the floor she planted a hoof on his chest and drew back the other to smash it on his face when she recognized her intruder.
“Bravado! What in thunder are you doing in my apartment!” she asked, pulling back slightly. “I thought I made it quite clear that I didn’t want to see you here.”
Coughing and trying to draw breath the dark grey pony shook his head to clear it. Rasping out a few unintelligible words he flopped around like a fish out of water.
Leaning forward Daring Do strained to catch his words.
“Did anypony tell you---” he was interrupted by a fit of coughing. “Did anypony tell you your eyes sparkle like rubies when you are angry?"
Blinking, Daring Do just looked at him for a second before slamming him back down. “Enough of your sweet talk, I want to know what you are doing here!”
“Is the pleasure of your company not enough?” he said, rubbing his side gingerly. Noting the threatening glint in her eye he raised his hooves in submission. “Fine, fine. I was sent by Professor Codex to deliver a package and a note. Seeing as you weren’t in, I thought I would let myself in.”
Closing her eyes against the blinding stupidity of that last statement the tan pegasus counted to ten before speaking. “Okay, where did you put the package?”
Clearing his throat, the charcoal pony mumbled something intelligible.
“I can’t hear you.”
“Under the bed,” he reluctantly repeated. Holding back a smirk he continued. “I wanted to put it somewhere you wouldn’t look, and considering the amount of dust bunnies under there, It was the perfect place.”
“Get out,” Daring Do said as calmly as she could, flushing slightly.
“Awww, come on! Let me stay, I want to see what’s in this mystery package.”
“Out.”
Grumbling he started for the door. Waiting until he was out, Daring Do slammed it shut behind him and slammed the bar in place. Heading back to the bedroom she slid a hoof under the bed and felt around for the package. She removed a slightly triangular package with a note affixed to the outside. Opening the letter, she recognized the elegant script of Professor Codex.
Dear Daring Do
As you may have surmised by now, I have decided to take my retirement a bit earlier than announced. If I played my cards right, you are now the new head of the Equinology Department of Canterlot University. Congratulations! I apologise for the ploy, but I had to make sure you accepted the position.
A word of warning: There are many within the university that already envied your position before becoming head of the department. With your promotion, there will be many who will try to sabotage your work and your reputation. Furthermore, the makeup of the university is not what it was before I’m afraid. Most of the old professors I grew up with have retired recently and have been replaced by young mares and stallions whose ambition clouds their vision. These are ponies of science and magic, not of history, art, and lore. Be wary of them because for the most part, they mean well.
You have always done me proud, I know you will continue to do so.
I’ll be in touch soon, keep well.
Yours,
Professor Codex
Sitting down heavily, Daring Do tried to process this new information. Opening the package, her eyes widened as she saw their contents. The second missing item, Nightmare Moon’s breastplate! If it hadn’t been stolen then that meant that ponies looking for links where there weren’t any.
Rubbing a hoof over her now-aching head she tried to focus. While this new discovery did seem to make things clearer, it didn’t really point to any specific person. Ahuizotl obviously wanted it; there could be any manner of creatures that could want to get their appendages on the treasure.
Still, now that it was just plain theft, things were simpler. Like a fog clearing before her, Daring Do saw her plan take shape. Heading over to her bedroom again, she pulled her as-yet unpacked saddlebags out of the closet and donned her hat and coat.
“Now, who could know about this statuette?” she said, throwing her mind back to when she had first learnt of this mysterious artifact.
***
[6 months ago in the Mobi desert.]
“Hihi Miss Do. One would think somepony as well travelled as you would know better than getting into an eating contest against a Diamond Dog when jewels are on the line!”
A canteen is a lousy place to eat. The food is cold, the service terrible, and getting napkins is sometimes harder than bypassing traps in the tombs of long dead kings. Still, in an oasis in the middle of the desert, anything with a roof is immediately labeled first class. And if you are short on bits, you can’t afford to be picky.
For the last three months Daring Do had lived and eaten in this establishment. Being the closest oasis to the reputed location of the Tomb of the Griffin King Wegaf she had been coming here quite regularly.
Sitting across from the massive Diamond Dog, Daring Do drank from her cup in an effort to ease the throbbing of her throat. “Stuff it and eat, unless you already are and want to quit,” she rasped.
“Oh, Miss Do, you seem so sure of yourself, why not make this more interesting?” the Diamond Dog said with a slurred sneer.
Looking at the table covered with various bags of bits, golden goblets and pearls, Daring Do said “If this is boring, you must get your thrills by jumping off cliffs.”
“Hihi. Pony funny. Pony should quit job and become comedian.” Reaching into his gunny sack, he pulled out a folded piece of yellowed paper. “The map to the Tide Temple!”
Snorting in disbelief, Daring Do reached for it with a hoof, only to have it be snatched away by the Diamond Dog. “No touch! This map is mine, nopony looks at it except me!”
“So, what do you me to wager for it?” Daring Do said, face passive.
“Another bag of gems!” came the instant reply.
With a sneer, Daring Do shook her head. “For a piece of blank paper? You’re off your rocker, sand dog.”
The crowd fell silent, almost too scared to breathe. With fire in his eyes the Diamond Dog carefully opened up part of the folds to display a seal, Daring Do leaned over to examine it. The Royal Seal! Whoever had sealed this map had either worked for Celestia or was a very good counterfeiter.
Gauging what she could sell and barter against what she needed to keep for the University she guessed she would have enough to provision her trip back across the desert. From her saddlebags she removed a small bag of gems and added it to the pile.
Continuing the contest both Diamond Dog and pegasus could feel the strain of eating so much. As the day wore on, the heat started to affect both contestants. The Diamond Dog kept the heat at bay by drinking copious amounts of liquids, favouring cider and punch. Daring Do kept to food only with only a sip here or there to soothe the throat. Somewhere through his eighth pie and twelfth cup the Diamond Dog started to droop a bit. Up until then, both contestants had been fairly matched. Now though, the punch, heavy food and heat were slowly taking their toll on the larger contestant.
Giggling inanely to himself he pointed a shaky claw at Daring Do and started to mouth something before collapsing into his pie plate with a resounding thud. Moving his head with a hoof, Daring Do pulled and let it fall back, letting the snoring Diamond Dog lie.
“Thanks for playing Toht,” she said, sweeping her winnings into her saddlebags. Saddlebags bulging like her stomach, the bloated pegasus staggered toward the general store to purchase supplies for the trip home. Halfway there Daring Do paused, feeling a slight tremor beneath her hooves. Diving to the side she barely avoided falling into a hole that opened up beneath her. Trying to take flight was impossible in her over-encumbered state and only managed to glide a short distance. From the pit came two fearsome Diamond Dogs, growling threateningly.
“Give us the map, little pony,” the first one growled.
“And if I say no?” she asked, trying to gauge if she could make a dash for the door.
“We take it anyway.”
“Well, in that case, I hope you dogs are hungry, because I’m gonna feed you a hoof sandwich.” Wings flaring, Daring Do charged the nearest Diamond Dog. Jumping back into his hole, he left his partner to handle the enraged pegasus.
Pawing the ground, the pegasus narrowed her eyes and charged again. Waiting until the last second, the Diamond Dog jumped to the side and swiped a massive paw at her face. Bending her head to let her helmet take the brunt of the blow, she shook it off and rammed the Diamond Dog in the stomach. With a pitiful wait, her adversary crumpled like a daisy in a hurricane.
Leaving her fallen foe, she started heading back to the General Store. Pausing at the threshold, Daring Do turned and quipped “Let that be a lesson to you, good doggies bring the paper, they don’t---WHOA!”
A clawed hand exploded from the dirt beneath her and grabbed her tail, yanking her down into a hole. The other dog had just been a distraction, and she had fallen for it. How foalish.
On her plummet down, Daring Do tried to get some hold on the tunnel, but it was too wide and unstable to allow for anything to slow her descent. Crashing to the ground in a tunnel below, she was blinded by billowing dust that followed her. When it finally cleared, she found herself surrounded by a pack of very grim looking Diamond Dogs. Before she could move, she found herself trussed and hauled off to a dungeon, saddlebags confiscated.
***
As she lay in the semi-darkness, she counted her breaths to measure the time. Her captors seemed to have decided she posed no threat of escape in her current position.
Amateurs.
Looking out from her cell, the adventuring archaeologist pony tried to devise a means of escape. Getting free of these ropes would be the first step. No point unlocking a door if you are still hobbled.
She relaxed her tensed leg muscles and twisted her legs slightly, she gained a bit of leeway. Rolling around she heard the soft plashing of water from the corner of her cell. Slowly she dragged herself over to the source of the sound, a pool of water coming from the dripping stalactite above. Wetting her ropes in the mud she managed to free first one, then all of her hooves. Free of her bindings, she stood shakily and stretched to get the kinks out.
Heading over to the door she looked closely at the lock. Rusted through, it was almost unpickable, if only that trying to pick it would probably cause the lock to break. Well, there’s more than one way to shave a pony. Taking off her jacket, she wrapped it around her left forehoof. Rearing back, she bucked the lock squarely and shattered the rusted deadbolt. Grabbing the door before it could swing onto the wall, Daring Do carefully listened for any sound that would indicate her discovery had been overheard.
Counting ten breaths, she finally relaxed. Donning her jacket again she crept along the hallway to recover her missing saddlebags.
